found over the past couple weeks, here in san fran, at goodwill and thrift town (aka my usual haunts).

these clip-ons reminded me of little doilies:

handmade acrylic pins, part of a larger cache of oversized 80s acrylic jewelry i scored all at once (including MASSIVE earrings, not shown here):

ikat is one of my textile loves. and i have a thing for clutches, oh yes:

always a sucker for polka dots and le orange (natch):

almost fluorescent vintage slip. probably the greatest vintage slip i’ve unearthed as yet:

a lovely silk dress, originally from banana republic. giant orange flowers, oh yes! doesn’t fit my currently burgeoning pregnant bod, but will *hopefully* fit afterwards. i’m crossing my fingers and toes!:

some time ago, i posed the question: polyvore, anyone?

since then, the site seems to have taken off…everyone and their mom seems to be using it. are you?

connect with me if you are! as might be guessed, i go by bitsandbobbins ’round those parts as well.

i haven’t been playing with it as much as i’d like…but when i do sit down and poke around, i play with the site and it’s offerings in an indulgent way, putting together ensembles that go with my own personal tastes and trends, rather that those that seem to be currently on offer in the fashion world at large. i guess one can expect that sort of thing from me…i’m ever the stubborn one. ha!

how are you using it, if you are? for illustrations on your blog? just playing around like moi? do tell.

i can’t abandon one of my first color combo loves, the classic complimentary paring of red and green. the addition of a dash of chartruse and some blues keep things interesting and in my opinion, steer things away from the inevitable christmas color commentary.

while orange (in most of it’s forms) is still my greatest love, i am starting to cultivate a new appreciation for electric blue. i think it’s especially lovely when paired with gray. and really, what isn’t lovely paired with gray? it’s a superb and subdued foil for all those great bright, eye-bleeding colors i can’t seem to be separated from.

i’ve always loved african fabric prints, regardless of whether they are chic at a given moment. (ethnic look, what?) it’s something about the vivid colors and unapologetically bold geometric patterns that has got me hooked for life.

clickity click on any of the above collages to find sources (and shop, if so inclined).

due to my busy-ness last week, this feature took a little unplanned vacay. whoopsie-daisy!

so, lots to share this week. enjoy, and as usual, feel free to comment and discuss at will!

-times are tough and getting tougher financially. food and gas prices are soaring and clearly, many people are feeling the pinch (via the new york times). what i am curious about is…does the ever increasing cost of fuel put the breaks on your ventures out in to the world? what about when it comes to shopping? do you take less trips into town to indulge in fashion-finding missions (retail, secondhand, or otherwise)? have you turned to alternate forms of transportation? when money is tight, what becomes a priority for you? does satiating your style bug become less important in the scheme of things? has it already?

-ever heard of the lipstick theory of economics? seems that mr. lauder (of estee lauder) noted that sales of his lipstick seemed to shoot up precipitously when things, particularly in terms of world and personal finance, are a bit unstable (via the new york times). in times of economic uncertainty, women seem to be more likely to buy a couple of relatively inexpensive lipsticks (or the equivalent) to give their mood a boost, rather than dropping hundreds of dollars on say, a designer dress. obviously, the beauty companies are banking on this percolating trend. and it seems to make some sense as far as economic theory is concerned, say experts in that field. but thus far this year, the numbers haven’t borne said theory out.

what about you? when the budget belt is tight and getting tighter, do you find yourself forgoing those big ticket items, instead choosing to go for little luxuries? what else do you do to stretch a dime, while at the same time satiating your need for a fun little sartorial pick-me-up?

-according to carole white of the premier model management agency in the UL, there is a dearth of black models in modeling and by extension, media because, and i quote: “according to magazines, black models don’t sell.” british photographer nick knight says the problem stems from those in high places in the fashion industry, who believe that black models are ‘”not aspirational” or “don’t sell in Asia”‘. (via the independent). what??

does that imply that “white” is that color of money? is “white” the only thing that is or can be considered beautiful these days? i call BULLSHIT. what happened to the healthy diversity in modeling and fashion that was in vogue in years past? what is this apparent racism in the fashion industry REALLY all about? anyone else think this apparently lack of diversity in media is reprehensible and disgusting?

for further reading on the same: jourdan dunn is the color of money (via the times online)

and a positively ginormous pile of the quick and dirty!:

-my absolute FAVORITE new york city boutique, i heart, now has a blog! ’bout time, gals! now you just need an e-commerce site so we can enjoy the wonderfulness of your store even at a distance…

-as a guest blogger on design*sponge, illustrator/designer julia rothman shows how to turn a drawing into a repeated pattern, w/o the help of handy tools like photoshop. it can be done! would be a cool way to turn an illustration you’ve made into a cool piece of printed fabric, for starters…

-woot, a knit bias stripe stitch pattern! thanks, vogue knitting!

-make an effort to take good photographs! it matters! people are looking, and they DO notice poopy photography/imagery. at least, i do! do you? the 10e20 blog offers up 21 ways to shoot better photographs.

-craft: spread the word: knit1 (the fun knitting/crochet mag put out by the makers of vogue knitting) has a page with free downloadable pdf’s of v. cute patterns. that are free. yay! (on a related note, i am grooving on the colors in their ‘ginormous baby blanket’…oooh! ahhh! rainbows!)

-love this tutorial for a quilt on oh fransson! that features ‘crazy’ nine patch blocks. the fractured, offbeat look of said blocks makes me think of some of the work of modern quilt maven, denise schmidt.

-the purl bee gives us the run down on thimbles…calling them an essential for any sewing kit. and depending on your sewing needs the project you’re working on, i’d have to say i agree.

-i need to make one of these super cute yoga mat bags using the pattern and instructions offered up by bored and crafty, stat. one made out of some patchwork fabric would be mighty me and quite lovely, methinks.

-show those plastic sandwich bags the door, forever! check out this little how-to on how to make a little reusable sandwich wrap, from the small object.

-damn right, san francisco is crafty! feisty elle put together a great google map with points that correspond to artsy-craftsy destinations-of-interest in this here fair city by the bay. i cannot even express how awesome this is. thanks for doing all that work, feisty elle! crafters and makers of the bay area salute you.

-i have basically no hair, so this can’t do *me* any good, but i am totally grooving on this how-to on how to make your own hair-ties, on bluelines. if i had long, lustrous tresses, i’d go nuts picking out just the right buttons and baubles to adorn my locks! the crazier the better…

-i recently learned that lion brand yarns has a blog. while i don’t love everything lion brand does (some of their designs are more than a bit clunky/old fashioned in an off way, and some of the yarns are too synthetic for my personal taste), i do like what they do now and again and check in with their site on occasion to see what new patterns they have on offer. this relaxed, slouchy market bag pattern is rather lovely…and it looks easy to crochet, tout suite.

it’s been a long time. a REALLY long time. a GINORMOUSLY long time since i’ve made an ‘if money was no object…’ post…!

truth be told, i’ve been *trying* not to look at clothes and such too-too much for months…being pregnant and all, it’s sort of like, hrm, can’t wear that, so i don’t even want to look at it right now, if you know what i’m sayin’.

and also…i have so many other things to be thinking about, doing, and yes, spending money on (hello, impending BABY!)…

and i am trying to be careful and considerate about what i DO buy (as evidenced by so much of what i write about and have been writing about for some time, about making smart choices, about ethics, about being green and creative…and all that jazz)…

but… STILL, i have been sort of quietly obsessing over a few things…okay? i am human, after all. at least, i think so!

so, *sigh* here goes…

there’s no way i’d ever be able to afford these paloma picasso stackable gold and semi-precious rings, from tiffany’s, but…a girl can dream.

ms. picasso is calling them ’sugar stacks’…how apt! they are so delicious…they totally remind me of candy. i almost want to eat them!

being a long-time jeans fiend, i’m all about this pair of higher-waisted dark skinnies from that most classic of jean purveyors, levi’s (a long time fave of mine, btw).

so simple and perfect: a normal-ish waistline (at least compared to the past’s low-lows), no stupid whiskering, straight, and narrow. just the way i like it.

if i wasn’t very, very pregnant (and about to be even more round than i currently am!), i’d snap those up so fast it’s silly. i’d be wearing them non-stop, oh yes.

*crosses her fingers and hopes to the gods she snaps back figure-wise after having le bebe royal*

well-designed orange shoes are SO hard to find! yes, i did find a superb pair of orange snakeskin wedges a while back at a local shoe store (paolo, which is located on hayes street, and also over on fillmore, both here in san francisco), and i love them like i love no other pair of shoes in my collection.

but –STOP THE PRESSES!!– i do believe i’ve tracked down another superb pair that i feel suit me down to the ground…and i am of course coveting them like mad: these schindler sandals by rachel comey, to be found over at creatures of comfort.

the ankle strap is sturdy and wide, the sole is comfortably flat, the peep-toe keeps things summery, and the criss-cross over the toes has just a teensy bit of texture in the way of the lines, keeping things subtle yet interesting.

if by some chance you want more of this kind of thing, do check out my past flights of retail fancy in the ‘if money was no object…’ archive.

before i launch into this most recent bunch o’ links, i want to say thanks for the HUGE response to my why do we wear what we wear? post early last week. i guess i touched on something there! i am constantly floored at how intelligent and creative and diverse you all are. thanks for reading! and for sharing and discussing. i’m constantly humbled by the fact that you stop by and are in some way interested in what i blog about or…really, anything i post!

now, on with the show!

-the bay area maker faire, put on by make: and craft: is this coming weekend, may 3rd and 4th, down in san mateo, california, at the san mateo fairgrounds. are any of you bay area denziens planning on going?

fun fact: i spoke about wardrobe_remix at last year’s maker faire! it was a blast.

and looks like they have a TON of great craft demos and crafty happenings going down this year too, including the bizarre bazaar. my in-laws are due to visit this weekend…maybe we’ll drag them down there for a look-see! *evil laugh*

-reason # 7658934563 that fashion trend pronouncements are a steaming pile of stinking TRIPE: the fashion industry (well, really, idiotic fashion editors, designers, and their ilk) is now claiming that the dress is “OUT” (via the new york times). seriously?? like people are going to stop wearing dresses because some dolt like anne slowey claims they are “out”??? just thinking about this and how inane and non-sensical such a statement is makes me want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly in frustration. (via a dress a day) dresses make up a very broad and diverse category of clothing, so to say all dresses are “out” as of this coming fall (??) just sounds completely moronic. like, are all brides going to forgo the trad wedding DRESS in lieu of wedding PANTS, for starters??

now do you understand why i constantly say “trends” are just a bunch of garbage? this kind of thing TOTALLY proves my point…if nothing else i’ve ever written to this end hasn’t worked in convincing you.

and a big old stack of the quick and dirty!:

-i love love LOVE this how-to on hand-dying trims, by a little imagination and a pile of junk. bright, and happy…and could be used in so many ways. your imagination is probably the only limitation! (via craft:)

-this knitted food by artist ed bing lee looks scrumptious! (via fly)

-check out this inspiring sweater recon by one pearl button. i can think of a million stylish ways to riff off that idea…again, the possibilities seem endless!

-some super-duper pretty dahlias made from rick-rack, by made with love by hannah. would be lovely as a brooch, hair do-dad, or hat decoration, methinks!

-threadbanger’s blog has a great round-up of ways to make handmade shoes…check it!

-the human ecology collection of the university of wisconsin-madison has an online archive of vintage dressmaking, fashion design, costume design, millinery (aka hatmaking), and sewing texts provided in full available for your perusal right here. an AMAZING resource for makers and designers, to say the least.

-check out this patchwork/collaged chair tutorial by dutch artist jane schouten on design*sponge. i’m literally drooling over it…so covetable, and so do-able!

-the coveted dishes out the deets on a slew of great ebay sellers who specialize in designer and vintage goodies. worth a peek!

-there’s apparently a new (to me?) SF street fashion blog, called san francisco style (via design that kills). what makes it different from the pack? a huge amount of commentary by the authors on the stylish who were snapped on SF’s streets.

i invite you to think long and hard about what drives you to dress a certain way, what motivates you to get dressed each and every day.

what are you trying to express to the world via the clothes you wear?

some feel that dressing oneself is fundamentally about sex or sexuality, that what we wear is mostly influenced by the desire to attract a mate, or to continue to please the lover we may already have.

do you feel that is that true? do we put clothes on our bodies ONLY to appear attractive to others in a sexual way? is that the be-all, end-all ultimate end game in aesthetic self-expression?

or, is the sexuality/self-expression connection claimed by some too simple, too narrow of a supposition to explain our sartorial motivations?

could it be that wanting to appear sexy is, or could be, merely ONE of a myriad of things people want to express through the clothing they choose to wear?

perhaps are we trying to express OTHER things when we get dressed every day.

could it be that the motivations behind dressing oneself, behind each and every ensemble, are numerous?

i believe that people choose to dress a certain way in order to express a vast number of different ideas or intentions. a few, paltry examples (to which you could add to via comments, if you were so inclined!):

-they may want to appear smart or educated
-they want to be seen as someone with taste (sophisticated or ‘cultured’)
-they want to appear different, set themselves away from the “crowd (whatever that crowd may be)
-they want others to see they are trendy, i.e. keeping up with the latest trends, running with the current crowd and it’s zeitgeist
-they may want to appear rich, or perhaps the complete opposite, someone to whom expensive things mean nothing
-they may wear things that are strictly utilitarian: their clothes may be a uniform, that may facilitate or compliment their profession or an activity in which they participate
-others may want to appear as if they belong to a certain subculture
-for still others, modesty may be a big consideration (due to religious or cultural concerns)
-and of course, as mentioned above, some may want to appear sexual, or sexy, whatever that means for a person and the type of person they are seeking to attract.

one or several of these things may be at play in why we create and wear a given outfit, depending on the person and the setting (culture, geographic location, etc.) in which they find themselves.

perhaps there more reasons not even mentioned here that are at play. or maybe none of those mentioned or unmentioned are at play at all.

perhaps something else motivates us to wear what we choose to wear?

maybe getting dressed on a given day is also influenced by situational factors…

sometimes, as humans, we appear or seem to dress a certain way in certain situations to express a particular feeling, to somehow fit in, or meet certain expectations. we might change our style to accommodate other outside influences or factors. we might change our look slightly or put any desire to be ourselves in check.

i can see a person making an effort to dress differently (than their personal norm) in any of the following situations (again, surely there are other examples):

-when going on a job interview
-when attending a church service, temple, or other religious space
-when meeting a mate’s parents or family
-when working at a conservative office or place of employment
-when attending a wedding, a ceremony, or other formal, organized event

does the event or location to which one is going motivate their aesthetic choices, color what they choose to don that day? or does it not matter or figure in at all?

and what about bodily concerns?

we might wear clothing in a certain way in order to strategically conceal or reveal certain areas or draw attention to a certain part, or away from another part. one can use layering and mixing of certain pieces of clothing or the addition or placement of accoutrements to draw others eyes in one’s intended direction.

-some want to appear larger/smaller in general, or may want to have certain areas appear large/smaller (bust, hips, legs, waist, shoulders, you name it)
-again, covering the body in general, or parts of it, for modesty concerns (religious cultural…thinking of things like head scarves, long skirts, concealing the wrists or ankles)
-revealing parts of the body for cultural/religious concerns (thinking of indigenous tribes around the world who might say, reveal the breasts as a suggestion of femininity or fertility)

me?

in thinking critically about what people in general may consider motivations for their self-expression, i have of course also put some thought into what my personal motivations are in expressing myself through clothing, i.e. why i dress the way i do. so, i’ll spill them!

one of my biggest concerns when it comes to clothing choices is what will flatter my body, and it’s natural shape, i.e. make it look it’s best, aesthetically. i am almost completely all about drawing attention AWAY from my chest. i’m short to average in stature, very busty, and small to average elsewhere proportionally (at least, i was before getting pregnant!). for as long as i can remember, i have been trying to visually minimize or detract attention from my bustline (if possible, it’s not always easy!). i do not want any cultural association with breasts + overt sexuality to come into play with what i wear, or make people think that i’m all about my breasts. the idea of such makes me personally feel uncomfortable…because my chest size is genetic and not something i chose to own. i honestly don’t even like them much and wish i didn’t have such mammarific abundance. as such, it’s something i choose to downplay, if i can.

the aforementioned bustiness lead to skin issues in my teens (stretch marks, *sigh*). i am so embarrassed about the state of my skin in that area that i always feel the need to cover them up. i never wear shirts that dip low enough to reveal these scars, and if i do have on a top or dress that could possibly reveal those stretch marks, i’ll often wear a tank top as a layer underneath said dress or top in an attempt to conceal them.

when i wasn’t pregnant and prevented from doing so to a large degree, i tried to draw attention to the area under my bust, my waist, as well as my hips and legs, which were proportionally smaller. what choices did this lead to for me as far as clothing and accessories are concerned? belts to define the waist, very skinny/narrow leg jeans, tights, or leggings to emphasize the relative smallness of my legs (at least, my calves)….for starters. i’m still attempting some of these tricks, though the shape of my body is currently in flux.

it also occurred to me the other day that one of the reasons i wear my hair in a bright color and favor insanely large, colorful shiny and interesting earrings (and short necklaces as well) is to draw attention toward my face and away from my bust.

additionally, i am someone who ideally wants to be seen as being intelligent, creative, artistic by the world at large. besides the bodily image concerns, these more cerebral, expressive considerations have long been a motivator for me when it comes to getting dressed, at least since middle or high school. i want people to believe that i am a little bit of a risk-taker, idiosyncratic, unusual, a little different than the rest of the pack, someone who thinks differently or behaves differently than others, someone who has an open mind. ways i might and do express these inner desires outwardly might include: wearing daring color combinations (that i’ve usually given a great deal of thought to), wearing pieces with interesting design in the way of detail or overall structure, or by attempting to mix pieces i have in what i consider to be exploratory, experimental, innovative way that works within the aforementioned body concerns and restrictions i mentioned above.

like many, i suppose that i also want to appear ‘young’ to a certain degree, or at least, ‘young at heart’, whatever that means! though i am quite happy to be the age i am (32, thank you very much) and believe that age is not an issue and certainly not a detractor from true beauty, i also have a desire to savor what particles of my youth that might remain…if any! i must say, however, that youth, to me, suggests joie de vivre and as mentioned above, a certain sense of open-mindedness…these are traits i want to continue maintain in myself and attempt to exude in some way even as i age, if i can. this sense of youthfulness, i hope, will be tempered with wisdom gleaned over time (about style, and life in general)…and i hope that bits of both are somehow expressed through the pieces and parts i choose to wear.

wanting to appear sexy is, honestly, probably the least of my concerns, the very least of my stylistic motivators. if, by an off chance, i appear to be sexy to someone, anyone, it’s not intentional on my part. i’ve been married to the same man for 10 years this year, still completely in love with him and not looking to snag anyone else! my husband is a very accepting, open-minded person, and doesn’t seem to have any overt or strong opinions on what i choose to wear. he wholeheartedly supports my desire to dress for myself (or to suit/address whatever other aesthetic/sartorial motivations i may profess), as long as doing so makes me happy. all that said, i’d have to argue that i am not dressing with the explicit aim to “catch a mate”.

issues of comfort also come into play as a motivator for me when getting dressed: i live in a mild climate (the san francisco bay area). it’s often cold, foggy and windy, even in the “summer”, and the temperature can and does shift over the course of the day, from almost warm to downright brisk. therefore, should i not want to freeze or be uncomfortable, i must dress appropriately. this means layers: scarves/cowls, hats, jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, leggings, tights, pants, boots, socks, etc. things that can be removed or added at will, with concern for comfort and the latent temperature in the area i find myself at a given moment.

and when it comes to dressing to address any professional concerns: granted, i am VERY modest about my body and want to cover it up/hide certain parts, as detailed at length above, but i feel that i am less modest in my color and design choices i general, even when i am at work. i feel that i can get away with this alleged ‘wildness’ or creativity with my professional clothing choices because a.) i mostly work from home, and b.) when i do work in an office, i can ‘get away with’ creative clothing choices because said office is very relaxed and has no explicit ‘dress code’. the laxity and open-mindedness of the dress code and what i choose to wear to said workplace is, i should mention, is probably a reflection of both the industry in which i currently work (software/websites/a start-up) and the stereotypical culture of the san francisco bay area: it’s generally very liberal, and very relaxed, almost to a fault (pun intended!).

i am sure that’s not the end of what motivates me as i put together an outfit on any given day…but it’s certainly a beginning of an exploration and explanation of what makes me tick…’why i wear what i wear’.

so, as i implored at the beginning of this post:

what about you?

what motivates YOU when you are getting dressed everyday? what might explain YOUR specific clothing choices, your special and specific idiosyncratic personal spin on self-expression?

tons and tons and TONS to share today!

enjoy, my pets!

-seems like (almost everything) one buys these days, especially clothing, has a tag bearing the words “made in china”. for some time now, china has been a manufacturing powerhouse, making many products we in the west consume cheaply and plentifully. but such plenty and such cheapness, while it benefits corporations and manufacturers and their profit margins, comes at a cost…both for many of the chinese (particularly the chinese workers), and most certainly, for us, who are about to be paying more for those aforementioned chinese-made goods (via slate).

a chinese backlash seems to be blooming, in britain, and elsewhere. china’s bad record on issues like the environment, labor issues, and so forth have some talking about and trying to personally boycott chinese products (via BBC.com).

but, are such boycotts bound to be successful? who do such boycotts REALLY affect? would trying to boycott chinese products ultimately prove to be a great and complex challenge, when so much of what surrounds us is made or made from materials sourced from that vast country? what are the alternatives to chinese made products, particularly when it comes to clothing? (via the telegraph) and another thing: are you REALLY willing to pay more and work harder to avoid that which is made in a manner that you find displeasing?

-speaking of britain and ethical clothing: the BBC has launched an online ethical fashion magazine, called thread (via the telegraph). hopefully it will prove to be a jolly good effort when it comes to covering all things ethical fashion.

a stellar feature from the thread mag that also relates to all the chinese/ manufacturing talk above: from factory to high street: the hidden cost of cut-price clothes

-through a dress a day, i learned about a “kerfuffle” that occured at the recently commenced st. louis fashion week:

seems a gal named ashley dayley submitted a dress to the show made from an iconic vintage (and recently re-issued) butterick sewing pattern. at first glance, it seemed as if ashley dayley was merely a copycat, trying to pass off a garment made from a commercially made pattern as her own.

ashley later claimed that this information was well-known to those involved with the fashion show (in fact, the rules of the show allegedly allowed garments made from commercial patterns), and as such she did not see any issue with submitting a “design” made from a commercial sewing pattern to said show.

but the trouble was, this wasn’t too clear from the PR surrounding the show that ashley (or anyone else, for that matter), wasn’t just trying to pass off a dress made from a commercially made pattern as his/her own…until ashley herself tried to clear it all up (check the comments on the DOTD post).

regardless of what actually happened in this whole ashley dayley/st. louis fashion show thing, this story does bring up some issues regarding what constitutes ‘original’ design, and just what makes someone a ‘designer’…

here’s my take (coming from a fashion design educational background):

the mere act of making a garment from a commercial sewing pattern (even if you, say, add your own embellishment) DOES NOT make you the ‘designer’ of that garment, or a ‘designer’ period.

making a garment from a pattern may make you artistic and creative, a skilled dressmaker, crafty, and a myriad of other things. but it does not imply that you designed that sewing pattern…the fundamental basis of the/any garment.

to me, being the ‘designer’ of a garment implies that you created an garment from scratch (i.e. you DID NOT use a commercial pattern as the basis of your design). you drafted or draped the pattern yourself (or employed a patternmaker to do so as your explicit proxy), and in many (though not all) cases you are likely to be responsible for everything related to the design from the idea and pattern stage onwards…including but not limited to creating the initial sketch, the calculations and other technical skills employed to make that sketch come to life through said patternmaking/drafting or draping, the fabrication and embellishment decisions employed on/in said garment, and sometimes, also sewing/constructing said garment.

i sometimes sew, knit or crochet from a pattern that has been designed by another person or persons (for instance, a company who makes commercial patterns). certainly, i make choices concerning the materials i use, and occasionally make subtile tweaks to said patterns to have said patterns work better for me. i am, of course, proud of what i have done to fashion said garment and certainly consider work made from said patterns to be a creative endeavor and effort.

HOWEVER, i personally would NEVER deign to call myself the ‘designer’ of said patterns, i can only be the owner of the result of using those patterns…and nothing else. the original designer is the one who deserves the credit for the idea…i can only take credit for my version of THEIR DESIGN. i would never make something using someone else’s blueprints and call it my own. i see it as wrong, period. all rightful acknowledgement for the original design, in my mind, can ONLY go to the person who came up with the original idea or pattern. to take another person or persons designs and call them my own, in any way, would be against my personal beliefs and ethics.

i believe that the selling of wares made from commercially available patterns is a copyright violation, not aboveboard at all…yet, people do it all the time, and it’s somehow somewhat acceptable to some…

the issue is, of course, for some, very complicated, and i could probably discuss it it ad nauseam!…it’s even a common issue in the fashion industry at large. opinions differ, of course. from mine, from yours.

some questions, as usual:

does just making a dress/sweater/anything from a commercial pattern make you a designer? what constitutes an ‘original’ clothing design? when do you believe that someone can rightfully call themselves a designer, and the work they make an original design? what is a completely ‘original’ idea, when it comes to clothing, or anything else?

what say you?

-body image issues are up for debate, both in the culture at large, and now even in the lower house of france’s parliament, who’ve approved a bill that would “make it illegal for anyone — including fashion magazines, advertisers and Web sites — to publicly incite extreme thinness”. the target here, of course, is the fashion industry, and violating this proposed law could land said stylish perps of emaciatedness in court, or sock them with hefty fines. the point, say french lawmakers, is to affect a change in the way that body image is perceived in the fashion industry, and by extension, the culture at large. of course, the french federation of couture takes issue with this proposed bill, not wanting to have to bow to any outside controls…(via the new york times)

-why can’t a woman shop more like a man? (via the telegraph) indeed! perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the fellows when it comes to smart shopping…for starters: employing a little forethought and strategy into the purchases we do actually make, forgoing the trendy-trendy-of-the-moment pieces for the savvy, more long-lasting purchases, and saving those occasional extravagant buys for the sales only.

and of course….the quick and dir-tay!:

-nylon recently posted a mini-interview with eley kishimoto, one of my all time favorite designers (design TEAM, i should say)!

-quilts and patchwork are cool and rule! emily and i are on the same page, as evidenced by a recent post on her blog, go go distro, called quilted appreciation.

-and more quilty goodness: if only i could go see these fabulous art quilts at the wayne art center that fly gives us a peep at…i’d be a happy camper!

-a polka dot stitch pattern, from vogue knitting! i am itching to bust out the knitting needles RIGHT NOW and use this for something, anything, maybe EVERYTHING! YESSSSS!

-how to drape a bodice, a video from domestic haven (via craft:)

-from the threadbanger blog: how to remake old sweaters into spring cardigans!

-jennifer perkins of naughty secretary club shows you how to make your own take on tom binns ‘no time watch’. sweet!

this week’s threadheads vid features a how-to from cal of hodge podge farm, who shows the world how to crochet a bitchin’ neckline onto a tee, using scrap tee shirt fabric. the results are way inspiring…as are the tees she makes. she obviously shares my great love of doilies! ha!

check it out:

great work as always, threadbanger!

-a reminder for you san franciscans/bay area denziens:

the 2008 discarded to divine fashion show and auction is coming up soon! it’s on april 26th, at 7 pm, at the academy of art’s building over at 601 brannan street, in the soma district here in san francisco.

i posted about the upcoming event way back at the end of february…i was planning on going, but oops, turns out i’ll be resting and relaxing on a beach in hawaii that weekend! so, i beg of you, GO! and report back!

get a peep at select, stunning garments that will be featured at the show by checking out sf indie fashion’s fabulous discarded to divine sneak preview!

according to the telegraph, fashion mags are now photoshopping curves onto skinny models and celebs in an attempt to deflect criticism concerning possible objectification of said skinny models in the recent past. wait, first these models aren’t skinny enough…now they are TOO skinny? seriously, WTF? i think this quote nails the ridiculousness of all this:

…Susan Ringwood, the chief executive of the eating disorder charity Beat, condemned the practice. “Altering models’ bodies to appear fuller-figured proves that the industry acknowledges there is a serious issue with projecting images of very thin models, but [it is] missing the point,” she said. “They should be using naturally healthy models in the first instance, instead of having to make them look that way.”

indeed. EMBRACE REALITY, fashion industry, it’s the latest trend!

-has the sartorialist has overstepped his boundaries as a street fashion photographer? not wanting to limit himself to merely concentrating on documenting stylish folks, he’s now moving on to ‘making over’ those who allegedly just don’t make the cut as fodder for his site. seems he’s wanting to make such folks conform to the sartorialist “look”, or make them look “better”…implying there’s a standard to conform to, stylewise. over 500 comments show that at least a few folks are questioning (and also supporting) this move of his…

for me, the post in question in turn begs these questions:

…should street fashion photographers dispense style advice? what is a street fashion photographer’s intention or job? to merely document, or dictate? should a street fashion blog be about celebration, or about dissection (of a person’s style)?

…can any one street fashion photographer be truly diverse in what they show or choose to show, given their own tastes and inclinations?

what say you?

and the quick and dirty (the all-sock edition!):

-these prep-tastic pom-pom socks featured on the purl bee are so deliciously cute. the pom-poms are completely reminiscent of bunny tails…and who doesn’t like bunnies? *grin* anyway, i think said socks could be super suave and more than a little subversive done in a really riotous color combo, like neon yellow paired with gray, or mint green paired with red-orange. natch.

-metapostmodernknitting is running a sock design challenge. the aim? to create an artsy and/or fashionable knitted sock for women. think you’ve got the knit wits and style sense to come up with something suitable? go to this blog post on MPMK for more details! (via craft:)

-i know pretty much everyone else thinks karl lagerfeld is a god, but after reading this interview with him on jezebel, he just seems to me to be an elitist, misanthropic ass. seriously though, whatever you think of old karl, the interview (rife with discussion of the myriad things he loathes) is a laugh riot. (thanks to design that kills)

-this week i came across two articles from the the new york times that focus on body shape and size and how such is typically received in the culture at large. i felt that they are also quite connected to matters of fashion, body image, and the like, so i’m bringing them to your attention: one, a report on research that suggests that fat bias is worse for women, and two, a look at what life [is like] as a tall girl.

to the first, i say, damn right women find more criticism as a result of their size and shape, whatever it is. what say you? and do you think the results of this study are right on? or off-base? and if you’re a man and you’re actually reading this, what can you say about these matters? are men as criticized for their weight as women seem to be?

and as for the second, if nothing else, it sheds some light on what it’s like to go through life being a little different from the norm. something i’m sure we all can relate to, in some way, shape or form (pun intended).

-speaking of body parts and body image: for the moment, fashion seems to have banished the bosom (via the telegraph). being a card-carrying member of the big-busted crew (not of my own will, but the will of a powerful little thing called…oh, genetics?), i take issue with this sweeping, somewhat misogynistic fashion movement, on behalf of my fellow busties and less-endowed sisters alike. one bust shape is not inherently better than the other. hey designers! stop making it hard for all of us to get dressed (depending on the moment and your ridiculous whims)…and be a little more realistic about the shape of the average human body and the bodies of your markets, else you risk looking like you’re of minimal brain and minimal creativity.

-in combing over my blog’s technorati links, i came across a lovely menswear-focused blog called style salvage. in the post i saw, they happened to be pimping wardrobe_remix (saying it needs more men, and i agree!)…so sweet. so i am making it my mission right now to pimp them. the content over there: smart, savvy, young, and approachable. keep up the great work, guys!

-ever wanted to get a small peek into the wonder that is thrift town, that great san francisco thrifting mecca i frequent every week and have mentioned here a million times? the venerable apartment therapy: san francisco grants your wish with this post on thrift town and the fab finds to be found within. granted, it’s mostly about their home finds, but you get the idea.

the quick quick and dirty dirty:

-i am so envious of the nicely outfitted silkscreen printing studio of boston-based stationary printers two trick pony (recently featured on poppytalk)

-this big crumb rhubarb coffee cake by smitten kitchen makes me drool. (why am i posting this? because cooking is creative, natch!)

-i’m feeling a knee sock obsession coming around again in my life. in the spring? yes, i am weird. anyway, these clessidra stockings on knitty address and answer said obsession beautifully.

feel free to comment with cool links, as always…!